ALL eyes will be on the rugged terrain of Dartmoor this weekend for families from around the country as thousands of young people take part in the annual Ten Tors Challenge. Lieutenant General John McColl, commander reserve forces, and Major General Andrew Farquhar, general officer commanding the Army?s 5th division, will flag away the 2,400 participants in 400 teams on Saturday morning. At around 7am, the young people will leave Okehampton Camp to begin the trek across Dartmoor?s challenging terrain, covering a route of 34, 45 or 55 miles, according to their age, and to include an overnight camp ? respectively, 192, 151 and 57 teams are this year taking part. The expedition is organised by the Army?s 43 Wessex Brigade, with assistance from the Royal Navy, RAF and emergency services, including Dartmoor Rescue Group and civilian police ? almost 500 personnel in all. Brigadier Richard Cary, Ten Tors director and Brigade commander, said: ?For 45 years the Ten Tors Challenge has rightfully taken its place as one of the most demanding and testing outdoor events for young people. It brings out the best in them. ?Individual resilience to the demands of weather and environment combined with teamwork, and where appropriate, leadership, all add up to an exciting weekend of adventure for participants. ?This year?s challenge sees something rather special. It is not just young people involved as we welcome back some of the ?golden oldies?. These are former members of the Denbury Junior Leaders, and among their members is Bob Etherton, who took part in the challenge on its very first run in 1960.? Brigadier Cary said Bob was one of ten older participants who all completed the course in their youth, and added that when the call went out for veterans to take part, the volunteer list was over-subscribed. ?That in itself is eloquent testimony to the high regard in which the challenge is rightly held. And so this year I welcome all eventers, young and old. and their families to the challenge. ?I am sure everyone will enjoy the wilderness that is Dartmoor and when you complete the course you will all leave a little older, a little wiser and with a greater sense of achievement.? One evening in September 1959 three Army officers ? Lt Col Gregory, Major Parker and Capt Joyner of the Junior Leaders Regiment, RCS ? came up with the concept of a challenge for civilians, based on their military experience. The exercise adventure they created, requiring teams to cover ten tors as checkpoints and hold a compulsory overnight stop, has survived with only minor changes to its format over the years. Following the main start, some 250 less-abled youngsters, many in wheelchairs, will start out, as individuals or in teams, on their own routes of up to 15 miles in the now well-established Jubilee Challenge, each entrant accompanied by an officer cadet from Exeter University. All teams are required to undertake vigorous preparatory training. Team managers attend a weekend course designed to focus on vagaries of the Dartmoor climate and reinforce stringent equipment requirements - entrants must carry their food, water, bedding tents and rubbish bags. Early weather forecasts suggest the weekend could be somewhat on the damp side ? a cloudy day with scattered showers is predicted for tomorrow (Friday), with more persistent rain and indifferent temperatures over the weekend.